Rest has a bad rap in our culture. Most of us think about rest as merely the absence of work—not something valuable in its own right. Sometimes, it’s even equated with laziness.

But nothing could be further from the truth.

Rest is an essential component of working well and working smart. In my new book, Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less, I outline some of the fascinating research that shows how rest helps us to think, innovate, and increase our productivity, and what we can do to rest more effectively.

Even in our brain’s resting state—when we are not directly focused on a task—it’s still active, engaging its “default network” to plug away at problems, examine and toss out possible answers, and look for new information. We may not be able to control these processes completely; but by learning to rest better, we can support them, let them work, and take notice when they uncover something that deserves our attention.

Read more

Time management is the process of planning and controlling how much time to spend on specific activities. Good time management enables an individual to complete more in a shorter period of time, lowers stress, and leads to career success.

Read more

This post is part of TED’s “How to Be a Better Human” series, each of which contains a piece of helpful advice from people in the TED community; browse through all the posts here.

Have you ever tried to fix an ongoing lack of energy by getting more sleep — only to do so and still feel exhausted?

If that’s you, here’s the secret: Sleep and rest are not the same thing, although many of us incorrectly confuse the two.

We go through life thinking we’ve rested because we have gotten enough sleep — but in reality we are missing out on the other types of rest we desperately need. The result is a culture of high-achieving, high-producing, chronically tired and chronically burned-out individuals. We’re suffering from a rest deficit because we don’t understand the true power of rest.

Rest should equal restoration in seven key areas of your life.

Read more

Rest​ ​is​ ​essential​ ​not​ ​only​ ​for​ ​our​ ​health​ ​and happiness​ ​and​ ​​relationships,​ ​but​ ​also​ ​for​ ​our​ ​productivity.​ ​In​ ​today’s​ ​always-on​ ​world,​ ​​rest​ ​is​ ​almost​ ​impossible​ ​to​ ​come​ ​by unless​ ​you​ ​intentionally​ ​set​ ​time​ ​aside​ ​for​ ​it.​ ​That’s​ ​where​ ​free​ ​days​ ​come​ ​in.​ Find out how these​ work-free periods​ ​grant you the benefits of rest without sacrificing your productivity.

Most​ ​people​ ​I​ ​talk​ ​to​ ​these​ ​days​ feel ​stressed out and overwhelmed​ ​by​ ​​the pace​ ​of​ ​modern life.​ ​There​ ​are​ ​countless distractions​ ​and​ ​demands​ ​on​ ​our​ ​attention, ​and​ ​if​ ​you own your own business or you’re​ ​running​ ​your​ ​own​ Functional Medicine or health coaching ​practice,​ there’s ​work​ ​that never​ ​ends.​ ​

In​ ​this​ article, ​I’m​ ​going​ ​to​ ​talk about how to use ​what​ ​Dan​ ​Sullivan,​ ​founder​ ​of​ ​Strategic Coach,​ ​calls free days—24-hour periods without any work—to get​ ​more​ ​rest​ ​each​ ​week.​ ​Armed​ ​with​ ​this​ ​tool,​ ​you’ll​ ​not​ ​only​ ​feel​ ​healthier​ ​and happier​ ​and​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​spend​ ​more​ ​quality​ ​time​ ​with​ ​your​ ​loved​ ​ones,​ ​but​ ​you’ll​ ​be​ ​more productive​ ​(when​ ​you​ ​aren’t​ ​resting).​

Read more